Her Saving Grace
by Shout Diva
Summary: [AU]Lilian and her daughter live in Flushing Queens. Shane McMahon lives in Manhattan. Shane appears to love her daughter, but not everything can be perfect like a fairy tale.[Lilian Shane Molly Holly]
1. Cheesesteak!

**Yay, I'm finally posting my new story! It's about time, I know, I know. But here it is! I disclaim everything. The only thing I guess I 'own' is Grace. But, that'd be really weird and I'd rather not own a 4 year old. No thanks. Anyways, enjoy!**

**Also, more about the characters will be explained in the next chapter or so. So don't worry if you don't understand something right away. **

* * *

Shane McMahon walked through the glass doors at Titan Towers, a sign escaping his lips. Here he was, at work, on a Saturday, yet again. He was the CEO, the position passed down to him once his father retired, so he had to be there. 

The meeting wasn't going well at all. And the fact that he shouldn't have even been working didn't help matters. Three hours into it, he finally called for a lunch break.

He stepped down the steps, going to his a car, a new CL600 Coupe Mercedes. He was a McMahon; he had the best of everything. He slid into the driver's seat and drove off, weaving through the New York City traffic.

Shane drove into Queens, relieved that the area seemed to be relatively empty. He parked his car and got out. The January air wasn't too bad for once, but he still pulled on his leather jacket over his suit. Shrugging his hands into the pockets, he began to walk around the park.

He spotted a Philly Cheesesteak stand and headed over to it. He smiled at the man working and got one of the sandwiches.

* * *

"Gracie!" Lilian chased after her four year old daughter. "Grace! If you don't get back here right now I-" She drew to a stop, observing the scene. Her daughter had come upon a fairly handsome looking man eating Grace's favorite food of all time – cheesesteak. "I'm very sorry, sir." 

Shane smiled up at the blonde, then turned back to the little girl in front of him whose resemblance to the woman was near exact. "It's quite alright."

"Mom, I want one!"

"No, we're going home for lunch." Lilian grabbed her hand in hers and then looked back at the man. "I am so sorry, she loves those," – she gestured to the sandwich with a nod of her head. "We were just leaving to have lunch."

"Oh," Shane smiled. "She can have mine if that's okay."

"Uh, no thank you," she answered, not wanting to offend him, but letting her daughter eat someone else's food wasn't going to happen.

"Mom, I'm hungry!" Grace pulled on her mother's hand.

"Then let's go back home and we'll eat."

"But I want a cheesesteak!" she whined.

Shane chuckled and stood up. "I'd be happy to get you both one if you'd like."

Before Lilian could answer, Grace's green eyes lit up. "Yeah!"

"C'mon," he said softly, "The place is just over there."

"Oh, trust me, I know. I'm sure I could map out every stand there is in New York City if need be." Lilian laughed and shook her head. "I…okay, sure."

The three began to walk back over to Mike's Philly Cheesesteak. "So she likes these, hmm?" he asked.

"That's an understatement. We go down to Philadelphia every month or so, so that she can have the 'real thing.' Hey Mike!" Lilian said, once they reached the stand.

"Hey Lil, hey there Gracie," Mike Chioda greeted. "Your usual I assume?"

"Can I have extra cheese?" Grace asked.

"Of cou'se you can," the vendor answered.

While he prepared the two sandwiches, Lilian looked Shane over. "It's Saturday, why are you dressed like that?"

He sighed and swallowed his last bite before throwing the wrapper into a trash can. "I'm having a meeting today, unfortunately. It's one of those clients where they won't come Monday through Friday like any normal company."

"Ah, I see, where do you work?"

"Titan Towers."

Lilian's jaw dropped. "Are you serious? What brings you to Flushing?"

He shrugged. "I was just driving and ended up here."

She nodded and went to say something, but Mike presented the warm sandwiches. "There ya go, girls." Shane paid him and the trio stepped away, Gracie happily munching on her sandwich.

"Thank you for lunch. I don't even know your name and you're buying me and my daughter food," she pointed out, laughing a little.

Shane smiled. "I apologize, my name is Shane McMahon."

She gawked at him, and then blinked. "Wow." She knew exactly who he was now, just about everyone in the state of New York did. His father was practically Donald Trump, but with better hair.

"And you are?" he pressed.

"Sorry, I'm Lilian Garcia. And this," she started, pushing her dark haired daughter forwards, "is Grace."

"It is very nice to meet both of you."

_Well aren't you the little charmer. _"And I don't work at Titan Towers," she joked. "I work at the Queens County Savings Bank as an interpreter."

"An interpreter?"

"Mhm, Spanish. I guess my last name didn't give it away," she added, laughing.

He flashed her with a grin. "I could definitely use you. I might just have to talk to your bank about promoting you. I do own your bank."

"That you do."

"Mum," Grace finally piped up after finishing her last bite. "He on'y wawnts to geet in ya' knickas," she said in a somewhat credible British accent.

Lilian flushed red and had to remind herself to close her mouth. Shane, however was enjoying it, but trying to hide his laughing.

"I…uhm…you'll have to forgive her. She watches a lot of movies and TV, she watched that Spice Girls movie last night," Lilian explained, trying to will the redness in her face away.

Shane finally recovered from laughing. "It's fine, at least she has a personality and won't have any trouble picking things up in school."

"Isn't that something to look forward to," Lilian muttered.

Shane's cell phone started going off. "I'm sorry," he said, flipping the phone open. "Shane McMahon. Yes, I know, I'm on my way back now." He clicked it shut, putting it back in his pocket. "I've got to get back or else they're going to restart the meeting without me. It was very nice meeting you." He looked at Gracie, "And you too," he added, chuckling. "I'll definitely have to give your bank a call sometime about having you come work at Titan. We can work something out I'm sure."

"It was nice meeting you too," Lilian said, unsure of what else to say about his proposition. Before she could even try to think of a response he had already walked back to his car.

She turned around to her daughter. "Graciela Mariah!"

"Yes?"

"That was very rude of you to say that in front of him! We don't even know him."

The little girl frowned. "Sorry, but he was checkin' you out like a bag of groceries."

Lilian groaned, and decided to let it go. She'd never talk to him again anyways. "Why down't we go howme an' mayba hav' some tea an' crumpets?" she asked in her own false British accent.

"That sounds lovely, dahling!"

* * *

A few days later, Lilian's phone rang on her desk at the bank. Grunting, she put down the file she was looking over for a loan and picked it up. "Lilian Garcia." 

"Hello Lilian, this is Shane McMahon."


	2. An Opportunity

**Sorry this has taken so long to post. Thanks to everyone for your reviews!**

* * *

She nearly dropped the phone. "Uh, hello," Lilian managed to croak out. 

"How are you?" he asked, twirling a pen in between his fingers.

"I'm doing well, yourself?" Her voice had finally gotten control and wasn't shaking.

"I'm just fine. Lilian, I just got off the phone with the head of your bank."

_What's that supposed to mean? _"Okay, how'd that go?" Calmer now, she opened the file that had been in her hands moments ago.

"As long as you approve of it, next week you can start packing your things and get ready to move up to Titan Towers."

She practically choked on the air she gulped in and the papers from the file almost flew off her desk. "What?"

Shane smiled on the other side. "I am promoting you to work directly with me."

_Oh, it's some privilege to work with you?_ she thought sourly. "I really don't know. How am I supposed to know what benefits I'll be getting? And how do you know I'm suitable for this position?"

"Trust me, I've had your work background checked," he said chuckling. Lilian rolled her eyes. "As for the benefits, I would like to tell you, but I am running short on time. I'm free this evening, and if you are, I would love to take you to dinner and explain more about this job to you."

She froze, thinking of an excuse. Her eyes landed on a framed picture of Grace she kept on her desk, one of the many. "I'm sorry, I won't be able to find a sitter in time."

"Bring her."

She wasn't expecting that one. "Wh-what?"

"Bring Grace, I don't mind. Does 6:30 sound okay?"

The clock on the wall said 2:14. She was leaving in half an hour anyways since she didn't have anymore clients coming in. She had no more excuses now. Grace had always been her foolproof reason, until now. "Uh…sure." At least she'd get a free meal out of it.

"Great!" She could hear him grinning. "I'll pick you up then."

"You don't know where I live," she said frantically.

"I told you I checked your background, I have your address here in my hand. Your boss faxed me your original application."

Good thing she hadn't been a stripper in her previous life. "Oh."

"Yeah, so I'll see you this evening. Goodbye Lilian."

"Bye," she said after the phone clicked.

* * *

"Nora! Open your door! It's Wednesday, I know you're there!" Lilian yelled, pounding on her best friend's door.

"Damn!" Nora Greenwald said, opening the door. "Do you have my schedule memorized?"

"No, Grace does." Nora worked at the daycare Grace went to while Lilian was at work.

Nora smiled and let Lilian in her apartment that was directly across the hall from Lilian's. "What's up?"

"You remember when I told you about the guy in the park?"

"That McMahon guy?"

Lilian nodded. "He called me today."

"Nuh uh! What'd he want!?" Nora sat down on the couch, Lilian following suit.

"He offered me a job at Titan." She shook her head. "And so I asked him how he knew I was qualified and what kind of benefits I'd be getting. He's had a background check done on me! And, he's taking me to dinner tonight to explain more."

Nora lit up. "Need me to watch Grace?" She winked at her friend, getting a glare.

"Grace is coming with us," the blonde said matter of factly.

"What!?"

"I tried using her as an excuse, again, and he just told me to bring her with us."

"Wow, he must want you bad." Lilian scowled, causing Nora to laugh softly. "C'mon Lil, you haven't been out on a date since…well I don't know."

"I don't have good experiences! Need I remind you of Nelson?"

"I thought he was going to eat you! He looked at you like you were a cupcake."

Lilian giggled. "That was awful."

"Don't forget about Charlie! It's a miracle you only came home with a sprained ankle. What did you two do again?"

"He took me rollerblading, like we were 12. And he wouldn't stop running into me!"

Nora shook her head and stood up, grabbing Lilian's hands as she went. "Let's go!"

"Go where!?"

"To get you ready for your date with Mr. Moneybags!"

Half an hour later, Nora had shoved Lilian in the shower while she went to pick up Grace. By the time Lilian had stepped out with a towel wrapped around her, Grace was home, getting a snack from the refrigerator.

Grace looked at her mom and sighed dramatically.

"What was that for?"

"Using me as an excuse again!" The girl shook her head. "I knew one day it would backfire on you."

Lilian looked at her best friend, knowing she'd told Grace everything. "If I wasn't in a towel right now, I'd so take you down."

"Sure, sure, go get dressed and then you can," Nora teased.

While Lilian got ready, Nora made sure Grace looked nice in a pair of khaki pants, a baby blue long sleeved shirt and a pink zip up hoodie all courtesy of Gap Kids. As much as Lilian loved to shop, Nora loved shopping for Grace even more.

Lilian came out of her bedroom a few minutes afterwards dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a black long sleeved top that came off her left shoulder and swept downwards over her right thigh. And of course she had on a pair of black stiletto boots. Nora may have picked her outfit from her closet, but Lilian picked her own boots.

Nora whistled. "Heeeey there sexy mama!"

Lilian glared. "Next time-"

"Ooh, so there's already going to be a next time?" the brunette joked.

Ignoring her friend for the time being, Lilian turned to her daughter. "Okay, this is not a date, but it is something very important. Please act like you're going to be 5 next month and not 3."

The raven haired girl grinned. "I wouldn't think of being anything else. I know if you take this job we can go to Philadelphia every week to get cheesesteak!"

Lilian smiled and kissed her forehead. "We'll see."

Before she had the chance to lay out any other rules, they all three turned their heads when a knock sounded on the door.


	3. Explaining A Few Things

**Mm, yay for being sick. Egh. This chapter's kinda long, sorry. I got carried away, hehe. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Well are you going to let him in or what?" Nora finally asked, breaking the silence.

Lilian let out a soft, "Oh!" and then hurried to the door. _This isn't a date Garcia, cool it._ She opened the door and was pleasantly shocked by the man on the other side.

"Hey," Shane greeted.

"Hi," she replied softly. He had on a pair of dark jeans and a baby blue button up dress shirt. "Come in," she said after a moment.

Nora looked him up and down, and then exchanged looks with Grace.

"Sorry," Lilian finally said after the room was silent for a few seconds. "This is my best friend, Nora Greenwald." She turned to Nora. "And this is Shane McMahon."

"It's nice to meet you," Shane said with a smile.

"Right back atchya." Nora grinned. Gracie giggled, earning her a stern look from her mom.

"I like this one," he heard Nora whisper.

"Oh hush," Lilian murmured.

"Are you ready?" he asked, gazing at her. He smiled, and while Lilian thought it was just because he was being nice, it was truly because of what he thought of her. Even after meeting her once, and speaking to her a few times, he was mesmerized.

"I am," Grace piped up. Shane looked at her, his smile widening. Grace had long, dark hair that reached down a little past her mid-back. Her green eyes resembled Lilian's perfectly. She had tanned skin looked identical to Lilian. But there were views of her that didn't match Lilian at all. Shane decided those traits had to have come from her father.

"Yeah, let's go," Lilian said, smiling as well. Shane definitely wasn't a dog. Even though he was nearing 40, he had a certain boyish look to him that she found very attractive.

"Play nice!" Nora called as the three left.

Shane drove them to a restaurant in Manhattan called Pastimes. The walls were done up in brick and had 1920s memorabilia hanging everywhere. "Is this okay?" he asked once they were seated.

"Yes, it's just fine," she answered politely.

"What do they have here?" Grace asked. It was almost 7 and her stomach had been rumbling since 5.

"They have just about anything, except cheesesteak," he added, chuckling. "What sounds good to you?"

"Macaroni and cheese!" the little girl stated loudly, a grin spreading across her face.

"Graciela," Lilian said, giving her daughter a look that made her sit down in an instant. "Come with me for a second," she requested in a much softer tone.

The two headed for the bathroom, Grace a little bit weary. "Listen to me Grace, okay? Please be on your best behavior tonight," the blonde said inside the bathroom. "This is very important to me and it could provide us both with a lot of opportunities."

"Okay, like what?"

Lilian couldn't help but smile. "Like a big pay raise that would send you to college for as long as you needed."

Grace rolled her eyes. "I'm not even in regular school yet!"

"I know, but I'm just saying." She paused. "Okay, let's put it this way. We would have enough left over money that we could go to Philly every Saturday."

The little girl's jaw dropped. "Really?!"

She laughed. "Yes, really."

"Okay, Mom, I promise I won't do anything to embarrass you."

Lilian smiled and kissed her forehead. "Te amo, hijita."

"I know, I know. Don't be kissing me in front of him though!"

* * *

"Starting pay will be 23 an hour." Lilian had to fight to keep her eyes from widening. "There is a guaranteed two pay raises a year. You also get bonuses for big meetings and if we get another company signed on."

She struggled to swallow her grilled chicken. "I see," Lilian managed.

"We're a big company, Lilian," Shane explained. "Titan is branching out to other areas in Florida, Texas and California where the Spanish population is even larger. You're going to be a huge asset to us and I really hope you'll consider this offer seriously."

Lilian nodded. "I will, it's definitely a lot to think about. I'm not just doing this for myself, I have to think of Grace too."

"I know, and I want you to know that we realize you have a family and other priorities. You will be able to leave everyday at 5 to pick her up from day care, and if you need to get her after school, that's fine too."

"There's a bus that runs from the school to day care," Lilian explained. "Nora runs it too, so it's really not a big deal, but thank you for the consideration."

They ate in silence for a while until Grace put her fork down. "That was the best macaroni I've had in a long time," she declared.

Shane chuckled. "I didn't realize you liked it so much."

"Oh I do! It's not my favorite though," she said.

"Oh, of course not. So no movie quoting tonight?" he asked afterwards.

Lilian looked at her daughter. "No, not tonight. But you can come over and watch some with me if you want!" the four-year-old offered. "You look like an Olsen Twin person."

Both Lilian and Shane laughed. "I do?"

"Yes, I think you'd like It Takes Two, or How the West was Fun. Those are both really good." Grace grinned with approval.

* * *

It was after 9 when they finally left the restaurant. Grace was getting tired and Lilian picked up on that immediately. She fell asleep in the backseat of Shane's car. When they pulled up to the side of the apartment building, Lilian realized Grace was on Shane's side. _Of all things, Grace. Really?_ She laughed softly to herself and started to walk around to pick her up.

Instead, she was met with Shane, already carrying Grace in his arms. "I'll walk you up," he said in a soft voice.

"It's okay you don't have to."

"I don't mind."

Sighing, Lilian led him inside the building and to the elevator leading up to her 3rd floor apartment. Grace's face was directed towards Lilian who noticed that she was sleeping peacefully for being in a stranger's arms. Once inside her apartment, Lilian took her daughter and headed off towards the bedrooms.

Shane waited in the living room, looking around. To his left was a small kitchen with two counter tops, one that was cut out in the middle so that the oven could be placed there. A refrigerator was pushed up against the wall by the counter with the sink in it. Above the sink was a window overlooking the street. The fridge had small pictures on it, held up by magnets, all of which appeared to be made by Grace considering the stick figures and basic flowers. A few feet away from the kitchen was a dining table with four chairs. On top of the table was a pink backpack that definitely belonged to Grace and a couple of manila folders that he assumed carried Lilian's papers from the bank.

The living room consisted of a couch, a rocking chair and a recliner. The walls were painted a deep burgundy. The couch was plaid with the same color as the walls, along with a forest green and a cream color. The rocking chair had the green in it and was spotted with barely visible cream flowers. The recliner also followed the color patterns of the room. Pushed up against the far wall was a wooden entertainment center that housed a medium sized television. Through the glass on the cabinet doors in the center, he saw dozens and dozens of movie cases. Some were VHSs and others were DVDs.

Lilian appeared again, coming from the right, which he assumed was where Grace's room was. Then to the left must've been Lilian's because he could see the inside of the bathroom from where he was standing, which was located in the center of the small hallway.

"Thank you for tonight, Shane. I'll think about your offer very seriously."

"You're very welcome. I hope you accept it. I like you and I think you'd do very well at Titan."

"Thanks." There was a long silence between the two. "Uh, do you want anything to eat or drink? I know we just had dinner but…"

He shook his head, smiling. "I better leave, your husband will probably be home soon." He knew she wasn't married. He'd researched her background very well, from hospital reports to police reports. She'd had one traffic ticket – speeding. Plus, she wasn't wearing a ring. But he did want to know how she stood on relationships. No matter how much searching he did, it was very unlikely he'd find out about past boyfriends.

"I'm not married," she said, almost as a question. Her eyes narrowed. She knew what was coming. All guys asked about it. "Is this your way of asking me about Grace's father?"

Again, he shook his head. "I know who her father is," he said softly.

"What?"

"Lilian, you don't think I'd hire just anyone to work for my father's company would you?"

Her jaw dropped. "You didn't."

"I'm sorry. I wanted to make sure you didn't have a lot of health problems. I don't want to hire someone who's sick all the time. I need someone I can count on," he explained.

"I think you need to leave," she replied hotly.

"Lilian, please, I didn't mean to offend you."

"Well you did. I'm surprised it took you so long to ask. That's the first thing out of most guys' mouths," she snapped.

"I'm not like most guys."

"Oh shove it with all your bullshit! 'I'm so rich. I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth. I have all the resources in the world with Daddy's money.' Please, I don't need that from a boss! I suppose you think I'm some common slut don't you? That I needed some extra money when I moved here and got knocked up by some drunk in a bar, am I right?"

"No," Shane answered, even if it was rhetorical. "I knew Dave Batista, he was the music teacher at a high school here before he was fired for misconduct."

"You knew him?" she asked breathlessly, almost forgetting that she was supposed to be mad.

He nodded, but didn't explain.

Lilian looked at him for a long moment and then said, "I've wanted to sing my entire life. When I graduated high school, I didn't want to go to college. I hated school, but I didn't want to disappoint my family. I stayed in South Carolina for a couple years after I graduated and I sang around at local shows and stuff like that. I finally went to college and majored in Foreign Language. I'm already Puerto Rican, so I know the language just fine, and I knew it'd be an easy course for me. I got my degree and left." Shane watched her, waiting for her to go on. "I went to California for about 3 or 4 years. I did some singing, but I never really got any deals. I was noticed, but nobody ever went through with what they said. So I went to Florida. I was singing in a bar one night and I saw this guy down there watching me. He was gorgeous, but I didn't really think anything of it. Guys are always watching a girl on stage. After the gig, I was going to my car and he approached me.

He told me he was David Batista and he had a recording company in New York City. I immediately packed my things and went to New York with him. I was 27, I wanted so badly for a record deal to be signed that I would've done anything. When we got here, I didn't have enough money for a place to stay so I lived with him. We kind of started a relationship I guess. He'd bring me to a sound studio and have me record some demos which he supposedly sent off for labels. I never heard back from any, so I don't know what kind of a label he was sending them too. About a year later I found out I was pregnant and when I told him he completely freaked out. He swore he wasn't the father and that I was some whore and kicked me out. I took a bus and I wound up here in Queens. Nora saw me over at Mike's asking for something to eat, which he gave me, God bless him. She took me in here. She's the landlord. Aside from owning the day care, she runs this place too." Lilian smiled faintly. "She helped me get back on my feet and told me not to worry about the rent until I got a job, which she helped me find at the bank. We're your regular Lucy and Ethel in this day in age, just no Fred or Ricky." She smiled again and Shane chuckled softly. "Anyways, I'd tried to get in contact with Dave and he wouldn't answer my phone calls or return them, nothing. I eventually found out that he'd left for California. On February 27th, Grace was born."

"Couldn't you have called your parents?" Shane asked suddenly.

"I did, but I didn't want their help. I'd gotten myself into this mess and it wasn't their responsibility to get me out. My mom and dad and sister all came up and helped me get settled. They helped a lot with Grace those first couple of months too."

It wasn't until Shane handed her a tissue that she realized she was crying. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay."

"Why aren't you gone?" she asked, sniffling.

"What? Why would I leave?"

"Most guys hear not even half of that and they're out of here."

A small smile teased his lips. "I told you, I'm not like most guys."

"That's the truth." She sighed and turned to throw the Kleenex away.

"Would you like to go to dinner with me again? You can't use Grace as an excuse this time," he added. "Even if you don't accept the job, I'd like to take you out again."

She bit her lip. "Yes."

"Yes what?"

"Yes on both accounts."

"What accounts?"

Lilian laughed. "Yes I'm taking that job, and yes I'd like to go out with you again, without Grace."


	4. Starting Over

**Yes, I fail at updating. Sorry!! But here I be!! Thanks to everyone who's read and reviewed so far. Enjoy!**

* * *

Lilian turned the faucet on, starting a flow of steaming hot water into the bathtub. It was now Friday, for which she was thankful. Pulling open the cabinet door under the sink, she took a bottle of her favorite bubble bath and poured some into the filling tub.

Grace had gone home with Nora after she closed the day care, something the pair had started years ago. After Lilian left work, she ran what ever errands and she had and stopped by the video store on her way back to the apartment.

Pulling her hair up into a messy bun, she took off her clothes for that day – a pinstriped black skirt and a pink dress shirt that matched the stripes. She turned the water off and then sunk down into the hot, fragrant water.

Lilian's eyes drifted shut as her mind began to wander. _I'll start packing my stuff on Monday. I think I go to Titan the week after, right? No, no is it two weeks? I'll have to check. I'm pretty sure it's the week after Monday though. _She sighed and sunk down to her neck. _I better not be getting screwed over. Nora likes him though, so that's a good thing. Gracie seems to too._

* * *

"Grace, would you put up those puzzles for me please?" Nora asked. The last child had just been picked up and she was ready to get out of there. There was no doubt that she loved kids, but it was Friday and she was ready for the weekend. Plus, she promised Grace they'd go get hot chocolate and make a stop at the GAP. Lilian would kill her, but hey, it happens.

"Okay Nora, I'm done," Grace announced. She walked proudly up to the counter where Nora was putting away some files. "Now what?"

"Now," she said, smiling, "we go have some fun!"

* * *

_Mierda, _Lilian silently cursed. She pulled herself out of the nearing lukewarm tub and wrapped a towel around her body. She ran towards the ringing phone in her bedroom.

"Hello?" she answered after pressing the speaker button. She looked down the hall at the trail of bubbles she left. _This better be important._

"Hi Lilian." His voice filled her bedroom.

"Hey Shane." She smiled and walked towards her dresser to get out her lounge clothes for the night.

"What are you up to?" he asked, his voice smooth.

"I am getting ready for my big night," she teased in return.

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really." She smirked and pulled on a long sleeved cotton red shirt.

"Well then, I guess I will let you go."

Lilian frowned. "Wait, why'd you call me then?"

"Oh, I was going to ask if you'd like to have dinner tonight," Shane said.

"I'm sorry. I can't…"

"Is it Grace again?"

"Actually, yes it is," she said, laughing. Lilian pulled on a pair of black cotton lounge pants. "I'm really sorry."

"That's okay, is she alright?" he asked

"What? Oh! Yeah, she's fine. It's just that on Friday's, we rent a movie and pig out on pizza," she explained, sitting down on her bed.

"Oh, I see. Well that's cool. What did you rent?"

"Grace and I are going to watch Racing Stripes, and then after she falls asleep I got Take the Lead."

"Is that the dancing one?"

"With Antonio Banderas? It sure is!"

He chuckled. "Oh, you know I've been compared to him once or twice before."

"You have? Why do I find that so hard to believe?"

Shane smiled. "Listen, what are you doing tomorrow night?"

"Let me check my schedule…would you lookie there? I'm not doin' a thing," she paused, "And why are you asking?"

"Could we reschedule my original plans for tonight and move them to tomorrow night?" Shane asked.

She hesitated and then said, "I don't see why not."

"Great! I'll come pick you up tomorrow around 6, okay?"

"Uh…sure, okay, sounds good."

"I'll see you then. I hope you and Grace have fun tonight."

"Thanks, see you tomorrow."

They said their goodbyes and then hung up.

"Mom, we're home!" Nora called, pushing open the front door.

Lilian rolled her eyes and got up to meet them. "Oh my goodness," she said, taking in the sight.

Nora held two shopping bags in her hands. Grace had hot chocolate around her mouth. Shaking her head, Lilian went to the sink, wetting a paper towel. She knelt down to her daughter's height and dabbing carefully around Grace's mouth, she looked at Nora. "What did you two do?"

"Nora got me new clothes! And then we went to Starbucks," Grace said excitedly.

"Hot chocolate, I swear," Nora said, holding her hands up, but a grin on her face never the less.

"Thanks, get my kid all hyped up on caffeine."

"You love me and you know it," Nora quipped.

Lilian smiled and shook her head. "What am I going to do with the two of you?"

* * *

Shane sat back into his couch, his hand twirling the phone back and forth. His eyes scanned the room. "I can't bring Lilian here with it like this," he said to no one in particular.

"Maybe it's time to move on." Nodding, he stood up and took the first step in starting over.


	5. Doubts & Dinner

**I know Declan and Kenyon are Shane's actual sons...but for this story, they're Steph's. Sorry for the lack of updates...there should be another one coming shortly. Thanks to everyone for your reviews! The next chapter will have more Grace/Nora action in it. Enjoy!**

* * *

"I don't know if I'm ready for this," Shane admitted to his sister Stephanie. 

The siblings were having lunch at a small café. Shane had decided that he needed to talk to someone who would possibly understand what he was going through.

"If you weren't ready, you wouldn't have continued the conversation. You wouldn't have called her either. While you may have offered her a job, you definitely would have never asked her on a second date." Stephanie smirked at her older brother. "You are ready for this."

"So you don't think it's too soon?" he asked, finishing off his water.

Stephanie sighed. "If it was, you would know and feel it. Don't cheat yourself out of something that may change your life, and for the better too."

* * *

Shane pulled into his circled driveway that evening, Lilian in the passenger seat. She had enjoyed the ride to his house. Passing through Manhattan reminded her of the promise she made herself in the past. Aside from being a good mother and daughter, she wanted to live in Manhattan. 

Turning her head, Shane's house filled her view. "Wow…"

Shane parked the car at the front door underneath a carport outside the front door. Lilian marveled at the house which should more adequately be called a mansion. The outside was a gray brick. There were so many windows of different shapes and sizes that she couldn't even begin to count them.

The pair entered the front double doors, continuing Lilian's amazement. "Shane, your house is beautiful." Her green eyes gawked at the huge open room.

"Thank you," he said, taking her coat.

In front of her was a large, marble staircase that flowered up as it reached the next floor. She could see three doors and was sure there even more behind the walls bordering either side. The floor in front of her was a white marble as well. To the left from what she could see was a dining room of sorts, and to the right were two French doors that were closed. In front of her and to the right was what she assumed one of many hallways. Directly in front, and past the staircase, was a wall where two extremely tall glass French doors had been pushed open, revealing a living room.

Shane led her to that room where her nose began picking up a scent of what she hoped was dinner. The room had a large ceiling. A very plush couch was in the middle of the room, facing a fireplace. So far, the entire feel of the house had been that of one that was clean and well kept. This room was just as pristine as the first.

Every square inch of his home that she saw was decorated like something out of a magazine, or a luxurious movie. She half expected to see butlers and maids running about, taking care of this and that.

To the right was an open doorway which led into a half-hallway which in turn led into the kitchen.

"I hope you like what I've made," he said shyly, leading her into the kitchen.

"If it tastes as good as it smells, I think I will."

While Shane prepared their plates, Lilian looked around the kitchen. A long island was in the center, surrounded by bar stools. The colors were somewhat different, more cozy and warm, but the room was still sparkling.

Shane laid angel hair pasta across the plates and put a grilled chicken breast on top of that. In two small bowls, he placed salad.

"Would you mind if we ate here?" he asked, motioning to a four-person table that was positioned to give a great view out the window. "We could eat in the dining room if you like."

She smiled. "Here is fine."

* * *

"Tell me about Grace," Shane asked after swallowing a bite of chicken.

"What do you want to know about her?"

"Well, she mentioned that I looked like an Olsen Twin kind of guy," he said, chuckling. "What was that about?"

Lilian grinned. "She loves them, the younger them actually. Full House is one of her favorite shows. I think she owns all of their movies."

"Does she watch a lot of TV?"

"I guess you can say that. But it isn't like she doesn't go out and do stuff either. I don't really know how she manages it." She laughed and went on. "She watches older shows too, which confuses me."

Shane smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah, like The Nanny and Saved by the Bell. In fact, I think she's talked Nora into giving us codenames so they can talk about us even when I'm around. If you ever here either of them talking about a Mr. Sheffield or Nanny Fine, then we're in trouble."

Shane laughed, filling the room with a wonderful sound that made Lilian's heart speed up a beat. He smiled and said, "I've only seen a few episodes of that. My sister is in love with it. And as for her watching older stuff, at least it's better than her watching something inappropriate."

"Oh, yes. I didn't mean there was anything wrong with it. I'd much rather her want to watch those kinds of shows and get her hair done all 90s like rather than get her belly button pierced or something." Lilian continued to talk about Grace for a while longer, enjoying Shane's smile. "So what about you?" she asked once they moved back into the large living room.

"What do you want to know?"

"Well…" She looked around and spotted a picture of Shane with his family. "Who are they?"

He reached over, grabbing the framed picture and bringing it so that she could see. "This is my mom and dad, Linda and Vince." Lilian nodded, she'd heard of them before. "They still do some business around Titan, mostly going to banquets and such. This is my sister Stephanie and her husband Paul." He pointed to the couple. "Steph works at Titan too. Paul's a lawyer. And these are their three children. Declan is the oldest, he's three, Kenyon is a year old, and then this is their new baby girl, Aurora."

Lilian smiled at all three of the children. The thought flashed through her mind why Shane wasn't married and didn't have a family of his own, but she pushed it to the back of her mind.

A few hours later, Shane walked Lilian up to her apartment. "Thanks for coming over tonight. I hope dinner wasn't too bad and that I didn't bore you."

She grinned. "It was delicious and I was never bored. I had a great time actually." She could see where this was going and immediately put a stop to it. "Shane, I don't kiss on the first date."

He looked stunned and Lilian figured he hadn't been told that too many times in his life. That boyish grin spread slowly across his face. "This isn't our first date."

Lilian grinned. _You're a smooth one._ Standing up on her tiptoes, she kissed his cheek. "Goodnight Shane."

She pushed her door open and began to step inside when he gently took her hand. "When will I see you again?"

"Unless you pick up your phone, next Monday is my first day at Titan."


	6. And your intentions are?

As soon as Lilian closed her door behind her, she let out a long sigh. She took a moment to gather her thoughts. After placing her purse down on the kitchen counter, she walked further into the apartment, fully prepared to go to sleep. That is, until she saw Grace sitting on the couch, watching an episode of Full House.

"What are you doing up?" Lilian asked when she reached the couch. "Where's Nora?"

Grace turned the volume down, smiling at her mom. "She's sleeping, shh!"

Her expression turned puzzled. "Why is she sleeping?"

"Because we were playing house! I was the mommy and she was the baby! All babies have to go to bed early, duh!"

Lilian shook her head, laughing softly. She knew what happened. Nora had gone to Grace's room, being sure to keep up her role as the baby, and like usual, she had fallen asleep. "Well, why don't we go wake her up so we can get you to bed?"

Grace yawned. "I'm not tired."

"Mmmhm." Lilian turned off the TV, glancing at the clock. It was almost ten, which was two hours after Grace's normal bed time.

After Nora left, Lilian changed into her pajamas and crawled into bed. Grace had been out like a light as soon as her head touched the pillow. Turning to her side, Lilian's mind wandered over the past couple of weeks until she finally drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"Is it okay if I go down to play with Abby?" Grace asked, her hand placed on the receiver of the telephone.

Abigail Szatkowski was the daughter of Rob and Lisa Szatkowski. They lived on the second floor of the apartment building. Abby and Grace had made quick friends, as had Lilian and Lisa.

"Finish your pancakes."

"I'll be down in five," she heard Grace say into the phone before hanging up.

"I want you home by twelve, and you make sure to call me whenever you get down there, okay?"

Grace sighed, rolling her eyes. "Yes Mom. I always do."

"Thank you." It wasn't that Lilian didn't trust Grace; she just didn't trust everyone else in the city. She'd heard of plenty of kidnappings and she'd be damned if someone dared to lay a finger on her daughter.

A few moments after Grace left, the phone rang. Content that her daughter was safe, Lilian started to fix herself a plate of pancakes. She finished pouring herself a glass of orange juice when Nora walked through, carrying two Styrofoam coffee cups from Starbucks.

"Mornin' Sunshine!" she called cheerily, fixing herself a plate.

Lilian laughed. "Hello to you too. What are you doing?"

"I am having breakfast while we have ourselves a little chit chat!" After covering her pancakes with syrup, Nora went to plop down on the couch, placing her food and the drinks on the coffee table. She stared at Lilian who hadn't made a move. "Well what are you waiting for? Times-a wasting!"

The blonde joined her friend on the couch. Both of them were dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a long sleeved shirt to match. It was Sunday and they both used that day to relax and stay comfortable. "What do you want to know?" She took a bite of pancake and listened to Nora rattle off questions.

"Where did you go? What did you do? What was he wearing? Did you kiss?"

"We went to his house. We had dinner and talked for a few hours. Jeans and a light green button up. Nope."

"What was his house like? What'd you have for dinner? Was it good? Ooh, he's so cute!" Nora paused. "What do you mean nope?!"

"It was so beautiful, Nora. I swear it was like something out of the movies. It was really big too, but everything in his house was perfect. He made chicken and pasta, and it was delicious. Yes he is. And I mean no, we didn't kiss."

"Why the hell not?!"

Lilian laughed. "I don't kiss on the first date. I barely know him."

"It wasn't your first date," she protested.

"That's exactly what he said!"

They were both quiet until Nora said, "So you kissed his cheek?"

"Yep."

Neither of them were bothered by the fact Nora knew what happened and what her best friend had done. She knew Lilian was attracted to him, but she wouldn't give in just yet. She was too stubborn. But Nora also knew that Lilian would compromise. She agreed that it wasn't exactly their first date, but definitely not a second. So Lilian met him halfway. _Good for her._

"You know Lil, I'm going to want all sorts of details when you two do the dirty dirty."

Lilian snorted. "Excuse me?"

"Where's Grace?"

"Downstairs with Abby."

"Okay, when you two fuck like animals, I want to know."

"Nora!"

"What? I'm just saying! You haven't kissed him yet. By the time you two get to the removing clothes point, there's going to be so much tension and frustration built up that it's going to get wild!"

Lilian nearly choked on her orange juice. "I think you've had way too much caffeine this morning."

"I'll even read your future." Nora put down her plate and cleared her throat. "You two are going to get together sometime soon and you're going to be doing something or looking hot as hell and he won't be able to control himself. Hopefully Grace will be with me because I'm not sure she can handle all that."

Lilian paused, trying to think of some sort of response to that. She threw her hands up and shrugged. As she started to say something, the phone rang. Quickly, she went to the kitchen to answer the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hi Lilian, it's Shane."

She threw a glance at Nora. "Oh, hey Shane."

"You forgot your jacket at my house last night. Are you going to be home? I'll bring it by for you."

"Sure, I'll be here. Thank you."

"And what was that all about?" Nora asked once Lilian returned to her seat.

"I forgot my jacket at his house and he's bringing it by." She looked up at the clock and estimated that Grace would be home right around the time Shane would be making his way over.

"Oh you did, did you?" Snickering, Nora drank some of her coffee. "Yep, he wants you."

"And how do you figure that?"

She clicked her tongue. "C'mon Lil! It's the oldest trick in the book! Your jacket gets mysteriously left there and he calls the next day to bring it by so he can look at your pretty little face again!"

"Oh whatever," Lilian answered, trying hard not to let the red creep up her cheeks.

The two friends talked as Lilian cleaned up the kitchen area. As the clock hands got closer to twelve, she had a mental battle trying to predict who would get there first. She was half relieved when Shane was the first to be behind the door, her jacket over his arm.

"Hi," he greeted, smiling.

"Hey, come on in." Before opening the door, she gave Nora one last look.

"Thank you. Here's your jacket. I apologize for forgetting it last night before I brought you home," he explained, handing her the jacket.

She waved him off. "It's fine, really."

"So Shane," Nora said from the couch. "How long can ya stay?"

Shane cocked his head, confused. "Uh, I'm not sure. I don't really have anywhere else to be."

"Good, good!" She grinned, ignoring Lilian's furious glares. "Why don't you have a seat?" Nora gestured to the recliner, where he cautiously took a seat.

"Nora…" Lilian started, sitting in the rocking chair.

"Hush," she commanded and turned her attention to Shane. Before anything could come out of her mouth, there was a knock on the door.

Thankful, Lilian jumped from her seat and nearly ran to the door. "Hi Lisa!" she said after the door was open. Grace came trotting in, surveying the living room. "Thank you for bringing her up."

"Not a problem," Lisa said. She waved at Nora and looked at Shane, then to Lilian. "That's him?" Lilian nodded. "Ooh, girl! He's a keeper!"

Lilian practically shoved her friend out the door, sighing once her job was done.

"I'll be right back!" She heard Gracie say. _Ay Dios._

"Before Grace comes back," Nora started as Lilian retook her seat, "I want to know what your plans are with my best friend."

Shane looked at her, his eyes dazzling. "I don't exactly have plans with her. I don't intend on having sex with her and then leaving if that's what you're wondering. For the most part, I have hired Lilian to work for me at Titan Towers as a translator."

"And why Lilian?"

"Because I believe she will be a valuable asset. My company is expanding to cities where Spanish is most generally the common spoken language. I checked her background from the Queens Bank, and she will be a perfect fit in the Titan family."

Lilian smiled, amazed with his answer.

"Uh-huh." Nora nodded as though she were mentally writing this all done to keep for future references. "And for that other little part?"

"That I'm not sure of just yet. The time I've spent with Lilian has been a pleasure and I very much intend on spending more with her."

As Shane was about to continue his answer, Grace appeared in the doorway entering the living room and exiting the small hallway. Nora had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. She had on a little business skirt set on and a clipboard and pencil in hand. She walked over to the couch and took a seat next to Nora, glancing over the paper on the clipboard.

"Mr. Shane," the four-year-old started, "what is it exactly that you want with my mother?"

Lilian turned to Shane, wondering how he'd charm his way out of this one. Without skipping a beat, the 37 year old CEO answered the little girl's questions.


End file.
